Method of obtaining an autoclave closure for vessels of all kinds



J1me 1934- P. PLAINEVAUX El AL 2 1,963,675

METHOD OF OBTAINING AN AUTOCLAVE CLOSURE FOR VESSELS OF ALL KINDS FiledJune 10, 1933 F/GE.

UNITED STATES METHOD or OBTAINING AU'rooLAvE CLOSURE FOR VESSELS OF ALLKINDS Pierre Plaineyaux and; Joseph Antoine,-

Brussels, Belgium Application June 10,1933,- Serial No. 675,318

- In Belgium July 17, I932 2 Claims. (oi. 220-61)" This inventionrelates to improvements in closures for vessels of the type known asautoclave closures which hermetically close the vessel by exertingpressure at the joint between the closure and the vessel which increasesautomatically with increase of interna 1 pressure in the vessel, the

object of the invention being to effect such improvements in theconstruction of the closure as to simplify it and enable bolts and thelike appliances heretofore closures to be entire used in connection withsuch ly dispensed with.

In the known closures of this type the internal pressure developing inthe interior of the vessel exerts its effect on the elastic packing ringinterposed between the wall of the vessel and the cover, and on thebolts and shackles which maintain the cover in place. packing ring,disconnecting of The setting in position the tightening of the closuremembers, when it of the the bolts, and the is required, for instance,completely to disengage the mouth of the vessel, constitute verydelicate and tedious operations.

These disadvantages and defects are avoided by means of the presentinvention, according to which the autoclave closure of the vessel iseffected automatically by the internal pressure acting directly on theclosure cover or on a part integral with the latter, in such a mannerthat the elastic joint which is imprisoned on all sides ensures aperfectly hermetic closure.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the mouth 'of thevessel to be closed is surrounded by a flange having its lower partprofiled in the form of an inclined plane or bevel and having externallya groove adapted to receive an elastic packing ring, and upon thisflange there rests an annular part cover member, the in contact with theor sleeve made in of, and integral with a said annular part being heldelastic packing ring by a ring two or more parts, and embracing bysuitable walls or rims the inclined faces of the said flange and annularpart of the cover.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into practice, We

have appended here trating the same by to one sheet of drawing, illuswayof example, in which:

tion.

Figure 2 is a secti of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a sec packing ring.

onal plan along the line C-D tion illustrating one form of Asillustrating in the drawing, the vessel which is to be obturated has,for example, a tubular part 1 which is provided with, or to which isattached in any convenient manner, an annular flange 2. This flange isflat at its upper part 6 and is provided on its outer upper peripherywith a groove 3 open at the top and adapted to act as a housingpartially to receive an elastic packing ring 4 of rubber, metal or othersuitable material. At its lower portion the flange 2 has an inclined orbevelled profile 5 extending upwardly towards the axis of the tubularpart 1.

The cover 6 rests on the collar 2 through the intermediary of an annularpart or flange '7 flattened on the part adapted to come into contactwith the collar 2, and also having a peripheral groove 8 in which lodgesthe upper part of, the elastic packing ring 4. At its upper portion theflange 7 is annularly bevelled or profiled at 9 in an opposite directionto the flange 2, the bevels 5 and 9 being similar and symmetrical.

The two flanges 2 and 7 are embraced by a sleeve 10 cut diametricallyinto two or more parts and provided with inwardly extending rims havinginclined faces corresponding to the inclined faces 5 and 9.

Supposing that the tubular part 1 is vertical it will be easilyunderstood that upon closing the vessel the weightof the cover 6 andsleeve 10, weighing on the elastic packing ring 4, compresses andcrushes the latter into its housing and in itself ensures a tightclosure corresponding to the pressure which such weight exerts. If thepressure developed in the interior of the vessel becomes superior to theweight ofthe ele-- ments 6 andlO, it acts on the cover and raises itprogressively in such a manner that'the elastic packing ring 4 tends toresume its initial position, but the cover 6 carries along with it thesleeve 10 which, owing to the contact of the inclined surface 11 .withthe inclined. surfaces 5 and 9, becomes radially contracted and pressesthe joint 4 in a direction perpendicular to the initial crushing force.The result is that the joint 4 is forced completely to flll the housinggrooves in the flanges 2 and 7 and to remain compressed against thesleeve and the flanges.

The closure thus obtained is absolutely tight and automatic, and doesaway with any manipulation of bolts or other devices. It is, so tospeak, set up immediately and without effort.

Furthermore it offers a great security because, in order to open thevessel, it is necessary previously to release the pressure. The coverthen descends with the sleeve under their own weights,

and the sleeve can then be easily removed, after which removal it isonly necessary to take off the cover in order totally to open the mouthof the vessel.

The autoclave closure according to the present invention is capable ofnumerous applications. It is particularly suitable for flasks intendedto contain carboglace, which would thus replace the carbonic acid whichis usually supplied in liquefied form in flasks of very considerableweight and which consequently give rise to various disadvantages duringtransport.

What we claim is:

1. In combination with a vessel having an outwardly extending flangearranged around its mouth and an annular grooves at the periphery andupper side of said flange; a closure having an annular peripheral groovein its lower side, an elastic packing ring between said flange and saidclosure and arranged in said grooves thereof, the

width of such packing ring being such as to normally hold the closure inspaced relation to the flange, and a divided ring adapted to fit aroundsaid flange and said closure and to bear on said closure and against theunder side of said flange, said flange, closure, and divided ring havingcoengaging camming surfaces adapted when the closure is subjected tointernal pressure in the vessel, to force said divided ring radiallyinwardly on said flange, said closure, and against said packing ring.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the coacting cammingsurfaces of the flange, closure, and divided ring converge toward thecommon axis of the vessel and closure and to a point substantiallymidway between the lower side of the flange and the upper side of theclosure.

PIERRE PLAINEVAUX. JOSEPH ANTOINE.

